Aaron's Interview

What is your earliest memory of being at church?

I have some very vague memories of church in Wyoming. Basically just watching dad talk to about 20 people and I remember throwing money up at the ceiling to try to get it to God....that's what I thought happened to the offering.

I have a lot more memories of [the passageway church], starting when I was about 5 or 6. I think my first memory of [the passageway church] was dad's first Sunday there. Some lady at the beginning of the sermon/service said very loudly, almost yelling it "WHERE'S [name of last pastor]" I think dad laughed about it in front of everyone and then explained the reorganization. I also remember during the offering if the plate stopped at someone who was busy writing a check Dad would say "remember, million has two l's". I remember some older people had sugar-free candy and I would always ask them for a piece or two each time I saw them. I remember Huff always had winterfresh gum and I would regularly take a piece of that too.

What was the funniest or most memorable part of growing up in the church? 

I think dad said "shit" during a sermon at [the passageway church]. that was pretty cool.

When I think of growing up in church i immediately think of [the passageway church]. The first thing I think about is running around the huge hallway that wrapped around the whole sanctuary. I also remember one of the first girls i liked. I think i was in 3rd grade maybe....It was Nancy M.'s daughter, Emily. I thought she was pretty cute and liked watching her sing the songs.

My favorite part of church was going out to eat after church, espically with Huff. We went to Taco Bell a lot and he was always funny. He let me and Jesse punch him in the stomach as hard as we could, and he gave us noogies. He was my favorite person at church.
 

What are your current religious beliefs? 

It bugs me that i can't sense god or see the afterlife now, so it's very hard for me to have faith that something is out there. I hope there is an afterlife, but if there's not I won't know the difference, right? I'll either get zoomed off somewhere and continue to exist,  or I'll stop existing. The hard part for me is trying to imagine the world continuing w/o personally being there to experience it. It seems like religion can help people deal with death. example: 'If theres an afterlife to look forward too, then this life coming to an end is no big deal."

I see both good and bad in religion. If religion was non-existent i think we would have less wars and suffering in the world, but I also think the morals that are incorporated in religions have a positive effect on the way people behave.

So personally, I just want to enjoy life and have fun with the time i know i have here. When I'm done with college and have some free time, I'd like to read all the different religious texts and see what's actually written instead of hearing someones skewed version of what these books are trying to say. I think im more interested in learning about the history of religions then actually practicing one.